ISLAMABAD, June 24 (APP): Minister for Science and
Technology Rana Tanveer Hussain Friday said flawless academic
system and strong research culture were the prerequisite for socio economic development of the country.

Addressing the participants of 5th Outstanding Research
Awards ceremony of Higher Education Commission (HEC), he said
there was a need to support and encourage the young researchers if the nation wanted progress and excel in the development process at international level.

Indeed, he said, science and technology was the first
and foremost element of socio economic development of the country.
The minister appreciated the initiatives taken by the
HEC and encouraged the researchers and awardees to work
diligently and devotedly for the progress of the country and the betterment of their fellow countrymen.

Tanveer emphasized that the researches should be need
based so that they could be more beneficial and practical for the market and public, which would also helpful for the awards and degrees recipients.

He reiterated his vision of a prosperous Pakistan by
employing science and technology as the tools of progress.
He was of the view that the researches carried out in the
past were more focused on theory as compared to public needs and market demands.

“This has created a visible gap between the research and
the real time needs of the society. The research scholars must pay more attention towards their practical research activities on real need based problem areas, if we want to gain from all fields and faculties of natural as well as social sciences.”

The minister also appreciated the efforts of Ministry of
Science and Technology for funding researches through its
various attached organizations that too especially within the meager available resources.

Tanveer said he had recently visited China and found
that the Chinese universities were interested to make funding in viable and practical areas of research in Pakistan.

The Chinese have also agreed to grant scholarships and
research funding to scholars coming to China as well as in Pakistan, he added.